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Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives – What is Success? by Tina Frisco

Welcome to the series where you can share four of your links from your archives here on my blog to a new audience. Perhaps posts that you wrote at the beginning of your blogging experience that deserve another showcase. If you have book promotion posts then please contact me separately for other options. Details of how to get in touch with me at the end of the post.

This week Tina Frisco explores our perceptions of Success. Something, as with Happiness we strive to find. The path to success is not all plain sailing and there is a very good reason for that…. discover more in the post.

What is Success by Tina Frisco

Image courtesy of Lucie Stastkova

While writing the introduction to a fellow author’s book, I realized many of us view success as an end-product. We aspire, we strive and, if fortunate, we manifest. Only then do we feel gratified, overlooking all we accomplished in the process. In short, we fail ourselves.

If we become discouraged when met by an obstacle, we are not seeing that obstacle for what it truly is: a teacher. Obstacles not only teach us what does not work, but they also challenge us to reach beyond our perceived limitations. Obstacles are opportunities to practice what we have learned, alter our approach, and move forward. This is success.

Being stuck in obsessive thought patterns, limiting beliefs, or anything that stops us short of reaching a goal can lead to wallowing in the past (nostalgia) and yearning for the future (desire). Turning inward and finding the embedded thoughts sabotaging our efforts keeps us in the present and increases our chances of manifesting our dreams. This is success.

When we look within, we establish a willingness to explore our dark side and discover who we truly are. Throwing caution to the wind and delving into the depths of our psyches allows negative beliefs to surface and be recognized. We then can alter our approach by trying something new. This is success.

An experiential (versus therapeutic) approach to learning offers the highest chance of success, because learning is achieved through experience. Experience involves braving the unknown. The unknown holds all potential for advancement. If we do not commit to success by staying in the present, we could very well achieve bitterness and defeat.

Acknowledging each effective step we take toward realizing our dream is a marked success. In so doing, we achieve much more than the goal itself; we claim each and every one of our efforts as worthy of recognition.

Life is a process of learning. Potential lies within that process. All we experience teaches us something about who we are. We apply what we have learned to each new encounter, discovering what works and what does not work. We learn as we go. The more we risk diving deep within, the more we grow as we surface.

To be successful, we need to focus our intention while absorbed in the work of the present. We need to recognize opportunities when they present themselves and not yield to perceived obstacles. We need to take responsibility for our thoughts and actions, rather than defer to heredity, environment, or the behavior of others. We need to be willing to step into the unknown.

When met by an obstacle that catapults us into a limiting belief, moving into gratitude can pull us out. Gratitude evokes love and eclipses fear.

Success is not merely an end product. Success occurs across a spectrum. Success is the ever evolving, ever expanding universe. And as above, so below.

Tina Frisco is an author, singer-songwriter, RN, activist, and student of shamanism. Born in Pennsylvania USA, she attended nursing school in New York and lives in California. She began writing as a young child and received her first guitar at age 14, which launched her passion for music and songwriting. She has performed publicly in many different venues. Her publishing history includes book reviews; essays; articles in the field of medicine; her début novel, PLATEAU; her children’s book, GABBY AND THE QUADS; and her latest novel, VAMPYRIE.She enjoys writing, reading, music, dancing, arts and crafts, exploring nature, and frequently getting lost in working crossword puzzles.

FIRST I must say that I loved this gentle little book. I devoured it in a single evening, so entranced by the story that I didn’t want to stop to read the inspiring quotes from Lynn V. Andrew’s Power Deck that began each chapter. Once I reached the end of the book I had to go back for the quotes, skimming each following chapter a second time.

NOW I must say that I have struggled with how I could possibly write a review — I’ve never read another book quite like it.

Other reviewers here have given you as much as you need to become familiar with the book’s “environment” – if I can call it that, introducing you to a few of the characters – so I won’t repeat similar content. But they can’t convey the deeply spiritual, uplifting essence of the book that, to me, is what makes it remarkable. Plateau never pontificates, but rather seduces the reader to come to his or her own spiritual realizations as the story unfolds.

I suppose the most impactful thing I can say is that I was infused with a sense of well-being when I finally put down my Kindle and turned off the light. I was in such a calm and totally relaxed positive state of mind that I transitioned easily and almost immediately into a deep sleep – a rare experience in my life.

My thanks to Tina for sharing this post with us and she will be in this slot again next Saturday. I hope you will head over to her blog and read her more current posts too.

I am so delighted that so many bloggers are sharing posts from their archives that deserve another audience.. MINE.. if you are interested in participating just send four links to sally.cronin@moyhill.com. This is about earlier posts rather than current ones. I am looking for human interest, informative, entertaining and humour…As you can see your books are promoted in the post.

If you would only like to promote your books without the archive posts… then still email but we will look at doing one of the specific features.

If you have up to four blog posts in your archives that you would like to share with my audience, then send the links to sally.cronin@moyhill.com.

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About Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.

My name is Sally Cronin and I am doing what I love.. Writing. Books, short stories, Haiku and blog posts. My previous jobs are only relevant in as much as they have gifted me with a wonderful filing cabinet of memories and experiences which are very useful when putting pen to paper. I move between non-fiction health books and posts and fairy stories, romance and humour. I love variety which is why I called my blog Smorgasbord Invitation and you will find a wide range of subjects. You can find the whole story here.
Find out more at https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/about-me/

I love this, Tina – success as a process vs. an end goal. Changing direction, reaching beyond our perceived limitations, claiming every one of our efforts as recognition-worthy. What a feel-good post from one of the most consistently positive people it has been my good fortune to meet.

I am so grateful for the blogging community that has allowed me to touch the presence of so many individuals who are uplifting the vibration on this small planet we share – and to you, Sally, the Perle Mesta of the blogging world, hostess extraordinaire to so many wonderful beings and their writings. Gratitude to both of you.

I’m honored, Tina, that you included my stumbling attempt at a review of your remarkable ‘Plateau” in this post as well. Thank you. Onward and upward.
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
“It takes a village to transform a world!

Aw Madelyn, what a lovely comment. The feeling is mutual, my friend. The honor for including the review goes to Sally, as she is the one who chose it. I hope you’re having a lovely and relatively rain-free weekend ❤

Well said, Tina. Success is the journey, not the destination. At school, the very first thing I wrote (long before blogging) was that it’s the process and not the product. Like minds are we, and you write it beautifully.

You are wise beyond your words, Tina. You would be a remarkable teacher. I am planting a seed for you: read books aloud to children of all ages. You will be amazed at what happens. You’ll see the other side of your writing world, what it does for readers. Many thanks, and thank YOU, my friend. ❤️

This is a great Post Tina- insightful and beautifully put. I agree 100%. Success is not an end product. It should be something we experience every day of our lives in a hundred tiny feel good ways. Success is the measure of how well we live live and not how how rich or famous we are, or how big the house or car is. Success is not even how many people turn up at your funeral or whether it makes the news. If those are your criteria then success will come too late. So to recap… Two minds one thought. Rock on sister! Absolutely loved your article! Px

Paul! I see you with your own talk show, interviewing those who are making a real difference in the world ~ not the notable, but those who fly under the radar as they walk their talk. Thank you for your heartfelt comment, my friend ❤

I remembered this post girls! And I was happy to read it again, particularly at this time while I struggle to get out my newest book, often feeling lost and questioning why I bother to write sometimes.. It’s easy to discount what is true success, counting accomplishments and learning from the obstacles that lead us to new successes. Every once in awhile we all need something to drive us forward to keep on keeping on, and this post was that inspiration for me today T. 🙂 Hugs Muskies. ❤ xxxxx

Deb, you are a bright light in the world, my lovely friend 🌟 You keep on keeping on because it’s your passion not only to write, but also to be of service. All obstacles will dissolve, and your book will be published. See it as already accomplished. ❤Hugs❤

What I love about this post, Tina, (thanks, Sally for sharing), is that in the experience of trying something and getting your “hands dirty” is the thrill and the keen sense of satisfaction of doing it yourself. And sometimes we dislike something we try for the first time and can be OK with it and move on. I’m so thankful and blessed I get to teach these concepts in my second career and to see it every day in action!

An excellent post, Tina. Thank you. It’s good to have an end-goal in mind, but there’s so much to learn – and to celebrate – along the way. Congrats on your books! I’ve put one of them on my christmas list.

Beautifully written, Tina! Wise true words, indeed and I think people who seek success only in the material things will ultimately be disappointed and unfulfilled in life! It is often easier to step away then forwards and accepting responsibility and being part of the journey of life in all its variances. Thanks to you both for this post and sharing. xx

Hi, Tina. As I read your words I realized that I never reached “success” without first failing. I like to say, “I fail forward.” I love the idea that success is a process not a destination. Success is a perception, isn’t it? You are so wise, my Sister. I love it! ❤

Great post, Tina. It surprises me how success is often viewed not only as an end goal but as something external. I love how you turn those paradigms on its head, perceiving success as a lifelong process of choices and ultimately internal. A wonderful perspective and worthy of reflecting on as we walk our paths through life. ❤ Thanks for sharing the post, Sally.